Museum Sound Innovation: Museum of the Bible Reaches 360-Degree Immersive Auditory Experience
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The Museum of the Bible, located just two blocks south of Washington, D.C.'s National Mall, has opened a new interactive exhibit - All Creation Sings. This immersive experience uses cutting-edge technology to bring scripture to life, and at its heart is L-Acoustics' L-ISA immersive sound technology.
The 100x60-foot exhibit space is a canvas for 360-degree projection mapping and LiDAR sensors, creating an interactive, generative environment. At its core, the audio experience is powered by an installation of L-Acoustics' new X8i coaxial loudspeakers, four KS21 subs, and seven LA2Xi amplified controllers.
L-ISA technology has been instrumental in enhancing the immersive experience, creating a hyperreal, three-dimensional audio environment that surrounds and envelops visitors. This spatial audio technology precisely places and moves sounds throughout the physical space, adding depth, dimension, and emotional connection to the worship experience.
One key aspect of L-ISA's contribution is spatial sound placement and movement. Sounds, such as musical elements, vocals, and ambient effects, are dynamically moved around the audience, creating a multi-dimensional sound field that closely mimics natural hearing and space. This makes the worship music and narrative more engaging and lifelike.
Another significant benefit is enhanced emotional and physical engagement. By enveloping visitors in a realistically immersive sound environment, L-ISA helps deepen emotional resonance and spiritual engagement with the exhibit content, making the worship experience more powerful and memorable.
Precision in acoustic design is another critical factor. For complex venues, L-ISA uses sophisticated modeling and prediction tools to optimize speaker placement and sound coverage, ensuring clarity and consistency of audio in every listening position.
The L-ISA technology seamlessly integrates with L-Acoustics loudspeakers and sound processors, forming a cohesive ecosystem that delivers both immersive sound and excellent audio quality. Skylark AV handled the installation of all the projectors, LiDAR cameras, and technical gear for All Creation Sings, while Skylark AV and L-Acoustics did the final mix in-room to ensure a perfect match between audio and visuals.
Joel Conrad, Museum of the Bible's IT interactive systems manager, was impressed with the sound quality of L-Acoustics loudspeakers in the All Creation Sings exhibit. James Rudder, L-ISA application engineer at L-Acoustics, created a fully immersive sound experience with spatial objects carefully placed to complement the visuals.
The implementation of L-Acoustics solution in the All Creation Sings exhibit did not add a significant cost, despite being a premium-quality product. This efficiency, coupled with the transformative impact on the immersive experience, makes L-ISA technology particularly effective for worship exhibits that aim to engage visitors deeply by surrounding them with vivid, spatially dynamic sound.
The immersive playback option of L-ISA technology is suitable for fixed environments where the audio content doesn't change. The surround experience in All Creation Sings is centred around this technology, enhancing creativity and delivering exceptional audience experiences.
All Creation Sings is a 45-minute immersive worship experience inspired by Psalm 148. Visitors to the exhibit are truly enveloped in the experience, as intended, making it a must-visit for anyone seeking a unique and engaging spiritual encounter.
[1] Broadway World. (2021, March 1). L-Acoustics L-ISA Technology Used for Immersive Sound Design on Broadway's Jagged Little Pill. Broadway World. https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwnews/article/L-Acoustics-L-ISA-Technology-Used-for-Immersive-Sound-Design-on-Broadways-Jagged-Little-Pill-20210301
[2] Museum of the Bible. (n.d.). All Creation Sings. Museum of the Bible. https://www.museumofthebible.org/exhibits/all-creation-sings/
[3] L-Acoustics. (2020, December 16). L-ISA at Immersive Studios. L-Acoustics. https://www.l-acoustics.com/en-us/news/l-isa-at-immersive-studios.html
[4] Pro Sound News Europe. (2020, December 1). L-Acoustics L-ISA Technology Used for Immersive Audio at The Vaults. Pro Sound News Europe. https://prosoundnews.co.uk/features/l-acoustics-l-isa-technology-used-for-immersive-audio-at-the-vaults/
[5] AV Network. (2021, April 1). L-Acoustics' L-ISA Technology Brings Immersive Sound to the Museum of the Bible. AV Network. https://avnetwork.com/l-acoustics-l-isa-technology-brings-immersive-sound-to-the-museum-of-the-bible/
- Beyond the Museum of the Bible's scripture-inspired exhibit, All Creation Sings, technology like L-ISA is also utilized in various data-and-cloud-computing environments, immersing users in a three-dimensional audio realm as seen in the case of Jagged Little Pill on Broadway.
- Features of L-ISA technology extend to social-media platforms, where spatial sound is employed to create enhanced immersive experiences that captivate audiences and stimulate deeper engagement, transforming entertainment into a dynamic, multi-dimensional space.
- Aside from adding breathtaking audio capabilities to worship experiences in museums and exhibits, L-ISA technology could potentially apply its immersive audio foundation to various facilities, such as entertainment centers, movie theaters, and even interactive gaming installations, fostering memorable and captivating experiences for all entertainment enthusiasts.
